Icemaker

ABSTRACT

The icemaker comprises an evaporator equipped with a plurality of open cells for the formation of ice elements, a sprayer for spraying water into the cells, a tank for collecting the water not transformed into ice in the cells, the sprayer having an element for occluding the cells equipped with a plurality of calibrated holes, each for access to a corresponding cell and a plurality of nozzles, each engaged in a corresponding access hole for the injection of water into a corresponding cell, the sprayer being supported by a support in a movable manner between an opening position and a closing position of the cells by means of the occlusion element, a kinematic mechanism for moving said support also being provided externally to said collection tank.

The present invention relates to an icemaker, particularly for makingice in the form of cubes, small cylinders or the like.

An icemaker of this type comprises an evaporator equipped with aplurality of open cells for forming ice cubes that are hit by the jet ofwater drops dispensed by one or more spray nozzles.

The cells release the ice cubes onto an underlying conveying baffle thatis in turn inclined downwards so as to convey the ice cubes by the forceof gravity to a collector that is accessible from the exterior.

The open side of the cells faces an underlying tank for collecting thewater not transformed into ice that contains a recirculation pump.

An icemaker of this type has various drawbacks.

Firstly, it is not possible to ensure that the nozzles distribute thedrops of water correctly to the cells, which may fill discontinuouslyand partially with the result that the cubes may have shape and/ordimension and/or consistency defects.

Secondly, not all the parts of the icemaker exposed to contact with thewater are easy to inspect and reach for cleaning and maintenance.

Thirdly, the water and consequently the formed ice are exposed to therisk of contamination from liquid and solid particles that may becomedetached from consumable components of the icemaker, for example therecirculation pump.

The technical task of the present invention is, therefore, to provide anicemaker which obviates the drawbacks of the prior art.

In the context of this technical task, one aim of the invention is tomake an icemaker that produces ice elements that are homogeneous inshape, dimensions and consistency.

Another aim of the invention is to make an icemaker that permits simpleaccess to the parts thereof for inspection, cleaning and maintenance.

Not the least important aim of the invention is to make an icemaker thatis configured to protect the water from contamination that is intendedfor the formation of ice elements.

The technical task, as well as these and other objects according to thepresent invention, are achieved by creating an icemaker comprising anevaporator equipped with a plurality of open cells for the formation ofice elements, a sprayer for spraying water into the cells, a tank forcollecting the water not transformed into ice in the cells,characterised in that said sprayer has an element for occluding saidcells equipped with a plurality of calibrated holes, each for access toa corresponding cell and a plurality of nozzles each engaged in acorresponding access hole for the injection of water into acorresponding cell, said sprayer being supported by a support in amovable way between an opening position and a closing position of saidcells by means of said occlusion element, a kinematic mechanism formoving said support also being provided externally to said tank.

Advantageously, between each injection nozzle and the correspondinghole, there is a gap for the outlet of the water not transformed intoice.

Advantageously, said support has guides for extracting and introducingsaid sprayer.

Advantageously, said sprayer has a drainage channel for draining thewater not transformed into ice towards the inside said tank.

Advantageously, said drainage channel is provided on an internal wall ofsaid sprayer where also said nozzles are provided.

Advantageously, said access holes are provided on a first external wallof said sprayer that is structurally independent and separated from saidinternal wall.

Preferably, each injection nozzle is positioned coaxially with thecorresponding hole.

Preferably, in said closed position each injection nozzle is orientedalong a central axis of the corresponding cell.

Preferably, each cell has a corresponding hole for the passage of airwhich is offset from the direction along which the corresponding nozzleis oriented in said closing position.

Preferably, each nozzle has a tip in an intermediate position betweenthe ends of the corresponding hole.

Advantageously, said sprayer has a water collector.

Advantageously, said water collector is delimited by said internal walland by a second external wall of said sprayer that is structurallyindependent and separated from said internal wall.

Advantageously, said internal wall has connecting means that isreleasable with said first and second external wall.

Preferably, said support is configured as an oscillating rocker that hasa first lever arm that supports said sprayer and a second lever arm forstarting the movement from said kinematic mechanism.

Preferably, said kinematic mechanism comprises a first motorised rodconstrained in translation and a second rod having a first endconstrained to said first rod and a second end constrained to saidsecond lever aim.

Advantageously, a water recirculation circuit is provided for the watercollected in the tank that has a recirculation pump positioned outsidesaid collecting tank.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will more fullyemerge from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodimentof the icemaker according to the invention, illustrated by way ofnon-limiting example in the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the icemaker;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the icemaker with the collecting tankremoved for better understanding;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the sprayer in a position that ispartially extracted from the corresponding support;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the dismantled sprayer;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the sprayer in a position that issectioned longitudinally in the direction of the thickness thereof;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a detail of the icemaker comprisingthe evaporator, the sprayer with the support thereof in the closedposition and the kinematic mechanism of the support;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a detail of the icemaker comprisingthe evaporator, the sprayer with the support thereof in the openposition and the kinematic mechanism of the support;

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the rear of the collecting tank withthe quick couplings of the evaporator highlighted;

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the rear of the collecting tankseparated from the assembly comprising the evaporator and the sprayersupport;

FIG. 10a shows a lateral perspective view in vertical section of theicemaker with the support in the closed position;

FIG. 10b shows a front view of the frame of the icemaker with thesupport in the closed position;

FIG. 11a shows a lateral perspective view in vertical section of theicemaker with the support in the open position; and

FIG. 11b shows a front view of the frame of the icemaker with thesupport in the open position.

With reference to the figures cited, an icemaker is shown and indicatedin its entirety by reference number 1.

The icemaker 1 comprises an evaporator 2 inserted into a refrigeratingcircuit and equipped with a plurality of open cells 3 for the formationof ice elements, for example but not necessarily ice cubes 13.

The icemaker 1 further comprises a sprayer 4 for spraying water into thecells 3, a tank 5 for collecting the water not transformed into ice inthe cells 3, and a water recirculation circuit for recirculating thewater not transformed into ice.

The evaporator 2 is fixed above the sprayer 4 and comprises a coil 6 inwhich the coolant of the refrigerating circuit circulates and a flatwall 7 having cells 3 with the open end thereof exposed to the jet ofthe underlying sprayer 4.

The collecting tank 5 is positioned inside a large collecting tank 12for collecting the ice cubes 13 and has on the front side 17 a window 14provided with a curtain 15 releasing the ice cubes 13 to the largecollecting tank 12.

The large collecting tank 12 for collecting the ice cubes 13 isaccessible through an opening 16 of the front side 18 of the outercasing of the icemaker 1.

From the same opening 16 of the front side 18 of the outer casing of theicemaker 1, it is possible to access the window 14 on the front side 17of the tank 5 for collecting the water.

The sprayer 4 has an element 8 for occluding the cells 3 equipped with aplurality of calibrated holes 9, each of which gives access to acorresponding cell 3.

The sprayer 4 also has a plurality of nozzles 10, each of which isengaged in a corresponding access hole 9 for injecting water into acorresponding cell 3.

Between each injection nozzle 10 and the corresponding hole 9, there isa gap 20 for the outlet from the cell 3 of the water not transformedinto ice.

Each injection nozzle 10 is positioned coaxially with the correspondinghole 9.

The tip of each injection nozzle 10 is in an intermediate positionbetween the ends of the corresponding hole 9.

The sprayer 4 also has a drainage channel 21 for draining the water nottransformed into ice towards the inside the collecting tank 5.

Lastly, the sprayer 4 has a water collector 24.

The sprayer 4 has a detachable structure that is made for example in atleast three parts that are assembled structurally independent andseparate from one another.

The drainage channel 21 is provided on an internal wall 22 of thesprayer 4 where the nozzles 10 are also provided.

The occlusion element 8 and the access holes 9 are provided on a firstexternal wall 23 of the sprayer 4 that is structurally independent andseparated from the internal wall 22.

The water collector 24 is limited by the internal wall 22 and by asecond external wall 25 of the sprayer 4 that is structurallyindependent and separated from the internal wall 22.

The first external wall 23 is on the side of the internal wall 22 facingthe evaporator 2 whereas the second external wall 25 of the sprayer 4 ison the opposite side of the internal wall 22.

More precisely, the first external wall 23 is a longitudinal flat platefacing the evaporator 2 and provided with an orderly distribution ofcircular through holes 9.

The first external wall 23 is made of a slippery material, for exampleof plastics with low roughness and high thermal insulation to ensurethat the ice cubes 13 slide without melting.

The internal wall 22 is a longitudinal flat plate with an outlinematching the first external wall 23.

The internal wall 22 has orthogonal longitudinal baffles 26 thatdelineate channels 27 parallel to the channel 21, and an orderlydistribution of orthogonal cylindrical nozzles 10 positioned along thechannels 27.

The nozzles 10 have a height that is greater than the height of thebaffles 26 and the internal channel of the nozzles 10 continues until itpasses through the thickness of the internal wall 22.

The internal wall 22 has along the two long perimeter edges two lateralwalls 28, 29 that extend from the side facing the first external wall23, whereas the two short perimeter edges on the side facing the firstexternal wall 23 are free to permit the outflow of the water from thechannel 21.

The sprayer 4 has connecting means that is releasable between theinternal wall 22 and the external walls 23, 25.

In particular, the first external wall 23 is maintained in positionresting on the baffles 26 of the internal wall 22 through the combinedaction of an elastically yielding hook 34 provided on a lateral wall 28and grooved couplings 35 provided on the other lateral wall 29.

Further, the internal wall 22 has on the side facing the second externalwall 25 a perimeter frame 30 mating with a perimeter counter frame 31that extends along the perimeter from the second external wall 25.

Between the frame 30 and the counter frame 31 a gasket 33 is positionedto ensure a seal joint.

The second external wall 25 is a longitudinal flat plate with an outlinematching the first external wall 23.

The three walls 22, 23, 25 are stacked with a lie parallel to a suitabledistance from one another.

The water collector 24 is delimited in the gap comprised between theinternal wall 22 and the second external wall 25 and has at the secondexternal wall 25 an inlet mouth 36.

The sprayer 4 is supported by a support 11 controlled by a relevantkinematic mechanism to move between an open position and a closedposition of the cells 3 that are controlled by the occlusion element 8.

The support 11 has guides 19 for extracting and introducing the sprayer4.

The guides 19 are configured to extract and introduce the sprayer 4 fromthe window 14 of the front side 17 of the tank 5 for collecting thewater.

From the constructional point of view, the support 11 comprises a tray38 equipped with two C-shaped side profiles 42 that extend behind thetray 38, a hinging pin 39 on which the rear prolongations 40 of the twoC-shaped side profiles 42 are hinged, and a bar 41 that connects therear ends of the two C-shaped side profiles 42.

The hinging pin 39 is fixed to the frame of the icemaker 1.

The two C-shaped side profiles 42 act as sliding guides 19.

The support 11 is more in general configured as an oscillating rockerthat has a first lever arm that supports the sprayer 4 and a secondlever arm for starting the movement from the kinematic mechanism.

The rotation axis of the rocker is horizontal and, with reference to theanteroposterior direction of the icemaker 1, the first lever arm of therocker is positioned in front of the rotation axis of the rocker and thesecond lever arm of the rocker is positioned behind the rotation axis ofthe rocker.

In the support structure 11 illustrated above by way of example, thetray 38 and the portion of the two C-shaped side profiles 42 in front ofthe pin 39 define the first lever arm of the rocker, the pin 39 definesthe rotation axis of the rocker, and the portion of the two C-shapedside profiles 42 behind the pin 39 and the bar 41 define the secondlever arm of the rocker.

The kinematic mechanism of the support 11 is outside the collecting tank5.

In particular, the kinematic mechanism of the support 11 is positionedbehind the collecting tank 5 and comprises a first threaded vertical rod43 constrained in vertical translation and a second rod 44 having an endhinged on the upper end of the first rod 43 and a second end hooked tothe bar 41.

In order to drive the kinematic mechanism, a gear reducer 45 is providedthat controls a nut screw 46 engaging the thread of the first rod 43.

The water recirculation circuit has a recirculation pump 47 that is alsoadvantageously positioned outside the collecting tank 5.

The recirculation pump 47 is in particular positioned behind thecollecting tank 5 and is provided with a flexible tube 48 connecting theinlet mouth 36 and a flexible tube 49 connecting an outlet mouth 50 ofthe collecting tank 5.

The icemaker 1 operates in the following manner.

The sprayer 4 is initially in the position in which the occlusionelement 8 engages the evaporator 2 so as to close the cells 3.

The occlusion element 8 comes to rest against the perimeter edge of theopen side of the cells 3, so as to prevent water dripping from one cell3 to the other, which could cause ice burrs to form along the edges ofthe ice cubes 13.

The evaporator is activated by switching on the compressor of therelative refrigerating circuit, and the recirculation pump 47 isactivated.

The nozzles 10 start to inject water into the closed cells 3.

Each injection nozzle 10 is oriented along a central axis of thecorresponding cell 3.

Owing to the specific position of the nozzle 10 in the hole 9 and to theorientation of the nozzle 10, the flow of water that has not beentransformed into ice exits the cell 3 through the gap 20 withoutinterfering with the flow of water injected by the nozzle 10 and thuswithout causing uncontrollable distortions of the flow of water.

The ice cubes 13 that are thus produced are accordingly homogeneous interms of shape, dimensions and consistency.

The flow of water not transformed into ice exits the gap 20 and flowsinto the channels 27, from which it exits, flowing in turn into thecollecting tank 5.

For the release of the ice cubes 13, at the end of the production cyclethe kinematic mechanism is activated so as to move the sprayer 4 to aposition in which the occlusion element 8 opens the cells 3 and movesfrom a horizontal position to a position inclined downwards to promotesliding of the ice cubes to the large collecting tank 12.

The detachment of the ice cubes 13 from the cells 3 can be promoted bymomentaneous reversal of the refrigerating cycle.

The detachment of the ice cubes 13 from the cells 3 is also assisted bythe provision in each cell 3 of a corresponding hole 37 for the passageof air that places the space in communication with the atmospheric air,the space opening between the walls of the cell 3 and the upper surfaceof the ice cube 13 during the descent of the ice cube 13.

In order to avoid the exit of water from the hole 37 for the passage ofair during the production of the ice cube 13, the hole 37 for thepassage of air is offset from the injection direction of the water inthe cell 3.

Advantageously, the icemaker 1 can be dismantled extremely simply toaccess all the main components thereof for inspection and cleaningoperations.

The sprayer 4, when it is in the position of disengagement from theevaporator 2, can be removed frontally from its sliding guides 19 by theuser, who accesses the sprayer 4 with his or her hands from the window14 on the front side 17 of the collecting tank 5 for collecting thewater.

The collecting tank 5 is extractable through the opening 16 of the frontside 18 of the outer casing of the icemaker 1 and for this purposereciprocally coupled fixed and movable sliding guides are provided, inparticular fixed guides 52 supported internally by the large collectingtank 12 and oriented in an anteroposterior direction of the icemaker 1and movable guides 53 supported outside by the collecting tank 53.

The evaporator 2 can be removed from the top by preliminary removal ofthe cap of the outer casing of the icemaker 1.

In particular, the evaporator 2 has quick couplings 51 for connecting tothe refrigerating circuit.

In the illustrated case, the quick couplings 51 of the evaporator 2 areoriented upwards because the evaporator 2 is disconnected by a verticalmovement.

Alternatively, the quick couplings 51 of the evaporator 2 can beoriented horizontally in an anteroposterior direction of the icemaker 1to a disconnection of the evaporator 2 by a horizontal movement that isconsistent with the movement of extraction of the collecting tank 5.

The protection from contamination of the water intended for theformation of the cubes has been obtained by positioning therecirculation pump 47 and the kinematic mechanism of the sprayer 4outside the collecting tank 5.

For even more complete protection, also the rear portions 40 of the twoC-shaped side profiles 42 can be covered by a shroud.

The icemaker as conceived herein is susceptible to many modificationsand variations, all falling within the scope of the invented concept;furthermore, all the details are replaceable by technically equivalentelements.

In practice the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be anyaccording to the needs and the state of the art.

1. An icemaker comprising an evaporator equipped with a plurality ofopen cells for the formation of ice elements, a sprayer for sprayingwater into the cells, a tank for collecting the water not converted intoice in the cells, characterized in that said sprayer has an element foroccluding said cells equipped with a plurality of calibrated holes eachfor access to a corresponding cell and a plurality of nozzles eachengaged in a corresponding access hole for the injection of water into acorresponding cell, said sprayer being supported below said evaporatorby a support in a movable way between an opening position and a closingposition of said cells by means of said occlusion element and beingremovable from a window on a front side of said collecting tank, akinematic mechanism for moving said support also being providedexternally to said collection tank.
 2. The icemaker according to claim1, characterized in that said support has guides for extracting andintroducing said sprayer.
 3. The icemaker according to claim 1,characterized in that between each injection nozzle and thecorresponding hole there is a gap for the outlet of the water nottransformed into ice.
 4. The icemaker according to claim 3,characterized in that said sprayer has a drainage channel for drainingthe water not transformed into ice towards the inside of said collectiontank.
 5. The icemaker according to claim 4, characterized in that saiddrainage channel is provided on an internal wall of said sprayer wheresaid nozzles are also provided.
 6. The icemaker according to claim 5,characterized in that said access holes are provided on a first externalwall of said sprayer structurally independent and separated from saidinternal wall.
 7. The icemaker according to claim 1, characterized inthat each injection nozzle is positioned coaxially to the correspondinghole.
 8. The icemaker according to claim 1, characterized in that insaid closing position each injection nozzle is oriented along a centralaxis of the corresponding cell.
 9. The icemaker according to claim 1,characterized in that each cell has a corresponding hole for the passageof air which is offset from the direction along which the correspondingnozzle is oriented in said closing position.
 10. The icemaker accordingto claim 1, characterized in that each nozzle has a tip in anintermediate position between the ends of the corresponding access hole.11. The icemaker according to claim 1, characterized in that saidsprayer has a water collector.
 12. The icemaker according to claim 11,characterized in that said water collector is delimited by said internalwall and by a second external wall of said sprayer structurallyindependent and separated from said internal wall.
 13. The icemakeraccording to claim 12, characterized in that said internal wall has areleasable connection means with said first and second external wall.14. The icemaker according to claim 1, characterized in that saidsupport is configured as an oscillating rocker that has a first leverarm that supports said sprayer and a second lever arm for starting themovement from said kinematic mechanism.
 15. The icemaker according toclaim 14, characterized in that said kinematic mechanism comprises afirst motorized rod constrained in translation and a second rod having afirst end constrained to said first rod and a second end constrained tosaid second lever arm.
 16. The icemaker according to claim 1,characterized in that it comprises a recirculation circuit forrecirculating the water collected in said collection tank having arecirculation pump positioned outside said collection tank.